Letter to the Editor: Help Save Eldercrafters

This is an unabashed plea for someone, perhaps a developer, to help save Eldercrafters, the wonderful store across the street from Gadsby’s Tavern that sells only crafts made by senior citizens.

More than half of the crafters who sell their handmade wares at the store live in Alexandria or its surrounding Northern Virginia neighborhoods.

The city, which owns the building, needs to sell the property due to well-known budget challenges. City officials have given Eldercrafters, a nonprofit, discounted rent for years. But unless the nonprofit they can find a developer to do the same or find another solution — perhaps sharing space with another charitable organization — we could lose this treasure.

Like many Alexandria residents, I’ve shopped at Eldercrafters for years. Nephews, nieces, and local charities have been blessed by handmade blankets, bibs, jewelry, toys, cards, and other gifts. This is all I could think to do, to invite my fellow Alexandrians to help our seniors.